Gas injection device and balloon
A gas injection apparatus 100 comprises a nozzle for being inserted into the balloon valve and injecting gas into the balloon body, a valve mechanism for opening and closing a gas flow path to the nozzle, a drive mechanism for moving the nozzle forward and backward, a balloon case placing section 120 having a flat bottom surface and capable of fixing an open end of the balloon valve in a direction opposite to the forward movement direction of the nozzle by making a balloon case in which the balloon body is housed placed with fixing the balloon valve; and a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism and the valve mechanism, wherein the control unit moves the nozzle forward in response to a start instruction, inserts the nozzle into the balloon valve to tightly contact with each other without clearance and injects gas into the balloon body.
1 . A gas injection apparatus for injecting gas into a balloon body from a balloon valve connected to a gas injection pipe of the balloon body, the gas injection apparatus comprising:
a nozzle configured to be inserted into the balloon valve and to inject gas into the balloon body;
a valve mechanism configured to open and close a gas flow path to the nozzle;
a drive mechanism configured to move the nozzle forward and backward;
a balloon case including a first case piece and a second case piece connected to be bendable, and including an unfold opening formed by opposing slots provided in the first case piece and the second case piece in a closed state;
a balloon case placing section having a flat bottom surface on which the balloon case housing the balloon body and including the balloon valve is placeable, the balloon case placing section being configured to position the balloon valve such that an open end of the balloon valve faces a forward movement direction of the nozzle;
a projection part provided on the flat bottom surface of the balloon case placing section and configured to engage with a finger insertion part formed in the balloon case to fix a position of the balloon case on the balloon case placing section;
wedge-shaped bodies configured to move in conjunction with the nozzle by the drive mechanism and to be inserted into the unfold opening to open the balloon case; and
a control unit configured to control the drive mechanism and the valve mechanism, wherein
the control unit is configured to:
move the nozzle forward in response to a start instruction,
insert the nozzle into the balloon valve to bring the nozzle and the balloon valve into tight contact without clearance, and
inject gas into the balloon body while maintaining the tight contact.
2 . The gas injection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
an opening of the balloon valve is formed in a resin pipe, and
a tip portion of the nozzle is formed of a rubber-like material and has a tapered shape.
3 . The gas injection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
an elastic member for restricting movement of the tip portion of the nozzle is provided.
4 . The gas injection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a gas injection mechanism,
wherein the gas injection mechanism is configured to supply a first gas and a second gas having different pressures,
the gas injection mechanism includes:
a first gas flow path connected to a first gas supply source and communicating with the nozzle;
a first valve provided in the first gas flow path and configured to control a flow of the first gas;
a second gas flow path formed between a second gas supply source and a flow path integrating section, and connected to the first gas flow path at the flow path integrating section; and
a second valve provided in the second gas flow path and configured to control a flow of the second gas,
wherein the control unit is configured to:
operate the first valve to inject the first gas at a first pressure for a predetermined time,
close the first valve, and thereafter
operate the second valve to inject the second gas at a second pressure lower than the first pressure.